Tag: 4 star

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

SKELF SUMMER: The Great Silence (The Skelfs, 3) by Doug Johnstone

Published August 19th, 2021 by Orenda
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Noir Fiction, Crime Series, Romance Novel, Urban Fiction

Welcome to my review for the witty, riveting and suspenseful, The Great Silence, which is the third book in the Skelfs series and my third Skelf Summer Post. Thank yout to Orenda for the invitation to take part and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The discovery of a human foot in an Edinburgh park, the inexplicable circumstances of a dying woman, and the missing daughter of Jenny’s violent ex-husband present the Skelf women with their most challenging – and deadly – cases yet… Book THREE in the addictive The Skelfs series!

‘Simply stunning. Tense, funny and deeply moving’ Mark Billingham

‘If you loved Iain Banks, you’ll devour the Skelfs series’ Erin Kelly

‘Nobody portrays modern Edinburgh better than Doug Johnstone. The Great Silence speaks volumes about the power of story’ Val McDermid

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Keeping on top of the family funeral directors’ and private-investigation businesses is no easy task for the Skelf women, and when matriarch Dorothy discovers a human foot while walking the dog, a perplexing case presents itself … with potentially deadly results.

Daughter Jenny and grand-daughter Hannah have their hands full too: The mysterious circumstances of a dying woman lead them into an unexpected family drama, Hannah’s new astrophysicist colleague claims he’s receiving messages from outer space, and the Skelfs’ teenaged lodger has yet another devastating experience.

Nothing is clear as the women are immersed ever deeper in their most challenging cases yet. But when the daughter of Jenny’s violent and fugitive ex-husband goes missing without trace and a wild animal is spotted roaming Edinburgh’s parks, real danger presents itself, and all three Skelfs are in peril.

Taut, dark, warmly funny and unafraid to ask big questions – of us all – The Great Silence is the much-anticipated third instalment in the addictive, unforgettable Skelfs series, and the stakes are higher than ever.

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MY REVIEW:

“The monsters in our lives don’t look like monsters, horns and slavering fangs. The worst deeds in the world are done by people who look like any of us.”

In the third instalment of the outstanding Skelfs Series, they face their most challenging and unusual cases yet: a human foot is discovered in a park, a dying woman whose children are convinced she’s being poisoned by her lover, alien messages, a wild animal roaming Edinburgh’s parks, and the disappearance of the daughter of Jenny’s violent ex-husband. 

Suspenseful, twisting and completely addictive, The Great Silence is another outstanding return to Edinburgh and the Skefl women. I’ve never read a series back-to-back like this so I was a bit concerned about getting fatigued from reading the same characters, but I needn’t have worried because Doug Johnstone ups his game with each book, creating a novel that is even better than the last with each instalment. I can’t get enough of this series and my new concern is what I’m going to do when I’ve read book six and I’ve got a long wait for the next one!

One of my favourite things about this series is that it has a bit of everything: family drama with a twist of science, a dash of romance, lots of emotion, and an abundance of suspense. Johnstone also explores more serious issues such as prejudice, domestic abuse, alcoholism and climate control, seamlessly weaving them into the narrative alongside the heart-stopping tension and mystery. This time around the cases are a bit more unusual and bizarre, and the tension has been dialled all the way up to ten, keeping me glued to the pages and on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I also loved that now I’m three books in, I’ve got to know the Skelf women, so reading these books  is like catching up with old friends – albeit friends with very turbulent lives and unconventional jobs. 

Dark, witty, suspenseful and totally riveting, The Great Silence, and all of the Skelfs Series, are a must-read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to get 60 days of listening free with my affiliate link*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Doug Johnstone is the author of Fourteen novels, includingThe Great Silence, the third in the Skelfs series, which has been optioned for  In 2021, The Big Chill, the second in the series, was longlisted for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. In 2020, A Dark Matter, the first in the series, was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year and the Capital Crime Amazon Publishing Independent Voice Book of the Year award. Black Hearts (Book four), was published in 2022, with The Opposite of Lonely (book five) out in 2023. Several of his books have been bestsellers and award winners, and his first science fiction novel, The Space Between Us, was a BBC2 Between the Covers pick. He’s taught creative writing, been writer in residence at various institutions, and has been an arts journalist for twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with five albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers. He lives in Edinburgh.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate lnks

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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book reviews

BOOK REVIEW: The Last Dance (Detective Miller Book 1) by Mark Billingham

Published May 25th, 2023 by Sphere
Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Police Procedural

Welcome to my review for this gritty, original and addictive thriller. Thank you to Sphere for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

THE FIRST NEW SERIES FROM #1 BESTSELLER MARK BILLINGHAM IN 20 YEARS.

‘Readers rejoice! A captivating new series from Mark Billingham, the very best in the business’ — RICHARD OSMAN

Meet Detective Miller: unique, unconventional, and criminally underestimated…

He’s a detective, a dancer, he has no respect for authority ­- and he’s the best hope Blackpool has for keeping criminals off the streets. Meet Detective Declan Miller.

A double murder in a seaside hotel sees a grieving Miller return to work to solve what appears to be a case of mistaken identity. Just why were two completely unconnected men taken out?

Despite a somewhat dubious relationship with both reality and his new partner, can the eccentric, offbeat Miller find answers where his colleagues have found only an impossible puzzle?

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MY REVIEW:

Meet Detective Miller: unique, unconventional, and criminally underestimated…

Funny, warm, gritty and original, The Last Dance is a captivating start to what I am sure will become a must-read series. This is Mark Billingham’s first new series in twenty years, and while I hadn’t read any of his books, I had heard great things about them. So this new series seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally acquaint myself with this bestselling author. 

Set in Blackpool, The Last Dance introduces us to Detective Declan Miller, a down-to-earth northerner who is unapologetically himself and has no respect for authority. He was happily married to Alex before her tragic murder six weeks ago and the book opens with his first day back at work. Everyone is concerned it’s too soon, but Miller insists he is going crazy at home and needs to work. He is assigned a new partner, DS Sara Xiu, and it isn’t long before a call comes in about a double murder in a hotel and the pair begin their first investigation. The two victims appear to be completely unrelated. So why were they both killed in the same hotel at the same time? Miller and Xiu attempt to solve the puzzle, leading them to a tangled web of secrets that they must unravel. Running parallel to this is the investigation into Alex’s murder, which Miller is infuriated to not be a part of. He inevitably goes rogue, leading reprimands from his superiors. But could Miller’s unorthodox methods lead to clues that others have missed and finally get the answers he’s been waiting for.

Why did I wait so long to read this author? I was hooked from the start and I now understand why his books come so highly recommended. Billingham’s writing is simple but full of suspense, emotion and humour, his storylines are deceptively complex, and his characters are richly drawn and real. I listened to this on audiobook and was immediately pulled into the story, the brilliant narration merging with the other elements to create an unputdownable thriller that I devoured in under 24 hours. 

But the star of this book is undoubtedly its endearing and likeable protagonist, Detective Declan Miller. Plain-speaking, deadpan, sarcastic and outgoing, he is a stereotypical northerner, which I loved as a northern girl myself. But there is more to him than his dry wit, no-nonsense attitude and disregard of authority; he is also a keen ballroom dancer and has two beloved pet rats named Fred and Ginger. Miller’s love for his late wife is evident on every page and it is obvious that they shared the kind of real love we all want to find. My  heart broke for him losing her too soon and his raw grief was palpable, causing his loose grip on reality even as he used humour as a way to try to deflect and cope with the pain. I liked that the author created such a three-dimensional character, giving Miller a vulnerability and heart underneath the brusque northernness and avoided making him into a caricature. DS Sara Xiu – his new work partner – is Miller’s total opposite, but the pair soon learn how to work together. I loved their banter and how she would give Miller as good as she gets. They were a great pairing and I can’t wait to watch them investigate more cases.

Tightly plotted, tense and twisting, this is a strong start to a new series. Highly recommended. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to get 60 days of listening free with my affiliate link*

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Mark Billingham was born and brought up in Birmingham. Having worked for some years as an actor and more recently as a TV writer and stand-up comedian his first crime novel was published in 2001.

Sleepyhead was an instant bestseller in the UK. It has been sold widely throughout the world and was published in the USA in the summer of 2002.

The series of crime novels featuring London-based detective Tom Thorne continued with Scaredy Cat and was followed by Lazybones, The Burning Girl, Lifeless, Buried, Death Message, Bloodline, From The Dead, Good As Dead, The Dying Hours, The Bones Beneath, Time Of Death, Love Like Blood, The Killing Habit, Their Little Secret, Cry Baby and the most recent The Murder Book. Mark is also the author of the standalone novels In The Dark, Rush Of Blood, Die Of Shame and his latest, Rabbit Hole.

A new series featuring DS Declan Miller began in 2023 with The Last Dance. The second in the series – The Wrong Hands – will be published in 2024.

Mark is also a regular contributor to radio and TV and is a member of the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, a combo of bestselling crime and thriller writers who performed at the Glastonbury Festival in 2019.

An acclaimed television series based on the Thorne novels was screened on Sky One in Autumn 2010, starring David Morrissey as Tom Thorne. A series based on the novels In The Dark and Time Of Death was screened on BBC1 in 2017.

Mark lives in London with his wife and two children. He is currently writing his next novel.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones*| Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*These links are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Paperback Publication Day

PAPERBACK BLOG TOUR: London, with Love by Sarra Manning

Published August 3rd, 2023 by Hodder & Stoughton
Romance Novel, Contemporary Romance, Humorous Fiction

Today I’m delighted to be resharing my review of London, with Love for the paperback publication blog tour. Thank you to Alara at Hodder & Stoughton for the invitation to take part and the gifted copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

‘A VERY special book. GORGEOUS, real believable and BEAUTIFUL’ – Marian Keyes

London. Nine million people. Two hundred and seventy tube stations. Every day, thousands of chance encounters, first dates, goodbyes and happy ever afters.

And for twenty years it’s been where one man and one woman can never get their timing right.

Jennifer and Nick meet as teenagers and over the next two decades, they fall in and out of love with each other. Sometimes they start kissing. Sometimes they’re just friends. Sometimes they stop speaking, but they always find their way back to each other.

But after all this time, are they destined to be together or have they finally reached the end of the line?

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MY REVIEW:

After meeting at college, Jen and Nick strike up a close friendship that sizzles with an undercurrent of love and lust.  Over the next twenty years the pair dip in and out of each other’s lives, fall in and out of love and try to make it work with other people.  But when two people are meant to be something will just keep pulling them back together.  Can they finally get the timing right or will they reach the end of everything they’ve shared?

London, with Love is a story of love, friendship, joy, heartbreak, triumph and tragedy. I loved the concept of following a couple that first fall for eachother in the all-important yet crazy teenage years but can never quite make it happen.  It’s the fantasy of ‘the one who got away’ or the person who you always wonder ‘what if’ about that great romance stories are made of yet the reality never quite lives up to.  I liked that Sarra Manning gave this book a dash of both fantasy and reality that she combines into one great story.  There were times I was rooting for Nick and Jen to just get together already, and other times I wanted them to wake up and realise it would never work.  But at every point I loved reading their story and rooting for Jen to find happiness.

But this love story isn’t just about romantic love.  There is the love of writing and books woven into both Jen and Nick’s characters that this bibliophile adored, and then there is the fact that this novel is undoubtedly a love letter to the city of London.  While it isn’t a place I’ve been many times or am that familiar with, I did find myself getting caught up in Jen’s love for her home city and how intricately it is woven into every facet of her life.  The author makes London feel like a character in its own right and I could picture every place so clearly thanks to her evocative descriptions.  Jen’s passion for London leaps from the pages and made even this staunch northerner feel a little bit of love for our capital. 

But the thing I enjoyed most about this book is the nostalgia.  I’m just under a decade younger than Jen and Nick, so while I was still in primary school when the book opened in 1986, I was of a similar age to them at many points in their story and enjoyed reliving the nineties and early noughties through them.  The author weaves many memorable historical moments into the story such as Y2K that pulled me in and helped me feel even more connected to the story.  I couldn’t help but reminisce about where I was, how I felt and what I was doing in life flashed before my eyes as I read.  

So if you enjoy readable romances filled with compelling characters, engaging plotlines, familiar tropes and heaps of nostalgia, then this is the book for you.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sarra Manning has been a voracious reader for over forty years and a prolific author and journalist for twenty five.

Her novels, which have been translated into fifteen different languages include Unsticky, You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me, After The Last Dance, The Rise And Fall Of Becky Sharp and her latest, Rescue Me, which publishes in 2021. Sarra has also written over fifteen YA novels, and four light-hearted romantic comedies under a pseudonym.

She started her writing career on Melody Maker and Just Seventeen, has been editor of ElleGirl and What To Wear and has also contributed to The Guardian, ELLE, Grazia, Stylist, Fabulous, Stella, You Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar and is currently the Literary Editor of Red magazine.

Sarra has also been a Costa Book Awards judge and has been nominated for various writing awards herself.

She lives in London surrounded by piles and piles of books.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Amazon* | Bookshop.org*

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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the tour.

*All purchase links are affiliate links

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Blog Tours book reviews

Blog Tour: A Lesson in Murder (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery 7) by Verity Bright

Published: September 14th, 2021
Publisher: Bookouture
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Sherlock Holmes Mystery
Format: Paperback, Kindle, Audio

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this lively cosy mystery. Thank you to Bookouture for the invitation to take part and the gifted eBook ARC.

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SYNOPSIS:

When Lady Swift is invited to her old school, she walks through familiar classrooms, finds her favourite books in the library… and surely that’s not a body? Time for a lesson in murder!

Autumn, 1921. Lady Eleanor Swift is invited to her old school, St Mary’s, as a guest speaker. Her favourite teacher, Mrs Wadsworth, has asked that Eleanor talk about her intrepid travels around the globe – travelling the Silk Road by bicycle, crossing the Himalayas and even befriending the Maharaja of India. But in the circumstances, perhaps it would have been a good idea to talk about her career as a daring detective…

Because no sooner has Eleanor brushed up on her times tables then she is greeted by terrible news: Mrs Wadsworth has been murdered. Eleanor is utterly devastated but she owes it to her dearest teacher to find out who killed her and why. So, alongside Gladstone the bulldog, it’s best paw forward to track down a villain.

But when the art teacher is also found dead, Eleanor is sure someone is trying to do away with the people who taught her everything. As Eleanor delves into possible motives, she discovers a clue in the most unlikely place: her mother’s old school diary. Does the route to the murderer lie within a secret passageway her mother uncovered? Can Eleanor nail the culprit in time or is the killer coming for her next?

A totally gripping and glamorous 1920s cozy! Fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Rhys Bowen are in for a treat.

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MY REVIEW:

“I’ve learned that a wrongdoer never gives one reason to mistrust them until they seize the opportunity they’ve been waiting for.” 

A Lesson in Murder is another entertaining adventure in the  Lady Eleanor Swift series. This time the ameteur sleuth finds herself embroiled in the hunt for a killer after a body is found in the Library of St Mary’s Boarding School for Young Ladies, Eleanor’s former school. Originally there to deliver an inspirational speech to the students, she is asked to investigate when the police determine that Mrs. Wadsworth’s death was not merely a tragic accident. Officials don’t want it publically known that there’s a murder investigation, so it is decided she will poses as Boarding mistress for Holly House, stepping into the late Mrs. Wadsworth’s shoes and secretly investigating while she does so. 

This series has become a real comfort read for me this year. I was late to start, beginning with book five back in March, but Verity Bright is adept at succinctly catching you up on any important information throughout the books so that you never feel lost. It means you can start this series at any time, or read just one as a standalone. But I have found myself so fond of these fun historical cosy mysteries, that every book is now an auto-read for me. In fact, I’ve already signed up for the blog tour for the next book in December.

Lady Eleanor Swift is an unorthodox woman for her time. It is unusual enough to be thirty and unmarried, but add to the fact she has travelled the world and is a part-time ameteur sleuth, and you have an unusual lady indeed. But I love her. She is a breath of fresh air;  strong, feisty, determined and impetuous. I love watching her do all the things she isn’t supposed to but I did like the glimpse into her more vulnerable side in this installment. Her time at St. Mary’s was lonely and painful, and she finds all these difficult memories and emotions assail her when she’s back in its halls. But she once again has her trusty butler, Clifford, on hand to assist her. Their great dynamic and witty banter are always the highlight of these books for me.

Lively, refreshing, humorous and authentic, this quick read was just the tonic I needed between darker mysteries. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humour, before embarking on their first historical mystery.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Amazon

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Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles😊 Emma xxx

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews

Blog Tour: The Ghostlights by Grainne Murphy

Published: September 1st, 2021
Publisher: Legend Press
Genre: Literary Fiction
Format: Paperback, Kindle, Audio

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this moving story. Thank you to Legend Press for the invitation to take part and the gifted copy of the book.

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SYNOPSIS:

Can we ever truly escape our past?

The Ghostlights is the poignant story of a family of Irish women who are each looking for the real meaning of home. This is a novel about family, obligation, identity and small-town life, written with deftness and sensitivity by the author of Where the Edge Is.

When a stranger checks into a family B&B – in a small village in rural Ireland – no one takes too much notice… at least until his body is found in the lake four days later.

The identity of the unknown guest raises questions for polar opposite twin sisters Liv and Marianne and their mother Ethel, all of whom feel trapped by the choices they made earlier in life. They each find themselves forced to confront their past, their present and what they really want from their future.The new novel from Gráinne Murphy, whose short fiction has been longlisted for 2021 Sunday Times Audible Short Story Award.

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MY REVIEW:

Can we choose to be forgotten? And just how do we want to be remembered when we’re gone? Those are the questions at the heart of this story.

Four days after checking into the B&B in Coolaroone, Fred Stille’s body is found in the lake.  The discovery and mystery surrounding him forces the family that runs the B&B to evaluate their own lives and legacy in this poignant tale.

This is a story about family, home and identity that explores love, guilt, resentment and forgiveness. Beautifully written, it tackles serious issues such as alcoholism and suicide in a way that is honest but sensitive, and adds a dash of humour to lighten the mood. 

Filled with very real characters who are easy to relate to, I felt like they could be any family on any street. The author explores familial relationships and the complexities surrounding them; the deep seated resentments and jealousies, the way they talk to and relate to each other and the bond they share that ultimately overcomes everything else. Narrated by Ethel, Liv and Marianne, we soon learn they are flawed women who are haunted by their personal demons. The death of a guest magnifies everything, forcing them to really look at how they can move forward instead of being held back by regret. 

Set in rural Ireland, it has a great sense of place, vividly portraying the sense of community and claustrophobia of small town life. I think that it was an ideal setting for this story as immersing the reader in a place where religion, folklore and superstition are at the core of village life, adds to the atmosphere of the story. When Fred’s body is found, it impacts the entire community. They claim him as one of their own and there is a genuine outpouring of grief for this stranger. It is a reminder that we are all part of the same community and that there is kindness to be found even in the darkest of moments. 

The Ghostlights is a very human story. One that I’m sure will resonate in some way with most of us. Warm, witty, compassionate and contemplative, this was an enjoyable read from a talented storyteller. I’ve enjoyed both of her books and am looking forward to seeing what she writes next.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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MEET THE AUTHOR:

Gráinne’s debut novel Where the Edge Is will be published by Legend Press in September 2020, with The Ghostlights to follow in 2021.

Gráinne’s stories are about family and identity, about staring life down and choosing the kind of person you want to be. Earlier novels were shortlisted for the Caledonia Novel Award 2019, the Irish Writers’ Centre Novel Fair 2019, the Luke Bitmead Bursary 2016 and the Virginia Prize for Fiction 2014.

In short fiction, her story Further West placed third in the Zoetrope All-Story Contest 2018, with other stories appearing in Nivalis 2015 (Full of Grace), Irish Literary Review Issue 5 (Frank & Alfie) and RiPPLE 2016 (The Agatha Christie Bookclub).

Gráinne’s several lives to date include stints in forensic research, human resources, training, volunteering and editing. No matter what she did, it always came back to words. After spending several years struggling to eavesdrop in Belgian cafes, she now lives and writes in a gloriously rainy corner of West Cork.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones*| Bookshop.org*| Amazon| Kobo
*These are affiliate links

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Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the tour.

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles😊 Emma xxx